Ditching tool



Feb. 28, 1967 P. H. NUNN 3,305,951

DITCHING TOOL Filed May 21, 1964 I NVENTOR. PAUL H, A/u/v/v Ti EE.E

QIEIII 40 a? 5? 4. I 7 h I v United States Patent Ofiice 3,305,951 Patented Feb. 28, 1967 3,305,951 DlTCl-HNG TOOL Paul H. Nunn, 1111 N. Anita, Oklahoma City, Okla. 73127 Filed May 21, 1964, Ser. No. 369,179 8 Claims. (Cl. 37-93) This invention relates generally to improvements in earth moving equipment. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, this invention relates to an improved ditching tool for use in combination with a backhoe to dig narrow trenches.

The need for a ditching tool capable of eifectively digging narrow trenches or ditches has existedfor many years. The building boom of recent years, particularly the boom in residential development, has placed more emphasis on the desirability of such a tool. At least three ditches must be dug for each new residence constructed. That is, a separate ditch must be provided for the water, gas and sewage pipes. In addition, ditches for water, gas and sewage mains must be provided. Naturally, some of the aforementioned ditches will extend across streets and, if the ditch is relatively wide, it must be filled and tamped to prevent settling of pavement which is subsequently laid thereover.

All of the aforementioned ditches are often dug by a hydraulically powered backhoe which is provided with a digging bucket having a Width of eighteen inches. The

type of bucket generally used includes a top and bottom, a pair of vertical side walls attached at each end with the top and bottom, and a rear wall or back having its periphery connected with the top, bottom, and side walls. The bottom is sometimes provided with digging teeth along the open front edge thereof. The ditch dug by buckets of this type must be filled and tamped to prevent settling. Even after filling and tamping, settling of the fill in the ditch will very often occur, leaving an unsightly depression extending along the path of the ditch. If the width of the ditch can be reduced to eight inches, and better yet to four inches, settling of the fill in the ditch is negligible or non-existent. For most purposes, a four inch ditch is adequate to accommodate the pipes being laid.

A great amount of difficulty has been encountered in the past in attempting to dig narrow ditches, such as four or eight inches in width. Very shallow, narrow trenches can be dug without too much difficulty, but more often than not, the ditches in which water pipes, etc., are to be laid will be thirty-six to forty-eight inches deep. Part of the diificulty encountered has occurred as a result of attempts to dig the ditches by merely reducing the width of the buckets used in digging relatively wide ditches, such as reducing the eighteen inch bucket to twelve inches in width. Soil, particularly when damp or clayey, has a propensity to adhere to any surface with which it comes in contact, consequently, any of the usual bucket configurations rapidly become clogged with soil. The operator of the backhoe must, after the bucket becomes clogged, manually dislodge the soil before he can continue digging.

One bucket or ditching tool constructed for the purpose of digging narrow ditches is illustrated in US. Patent No. 3,032,900, issued to M. J. Kashergen on May 8, 1962. The bucket disclosed by Kashergen includes a central plate which extends the full length of the bucket and a plurality of concentric, arcuate elements disposed on each side of the central plate. Digging teeth are positioned at the juncture of each of the arcuate elements with the front edge of the central plate. The arrangement is such that when the bucket disclosed by Kashergen is used in dry or non-clayey soil, a relatively narrow ditch can be dug successfully. When his device is used in damp or clayey soil, the soil will stick to and between the central plate and the arcuate elements provided to lift the soil from the ditch. Kashergens bucket is unquestionably more satisfactory for digging narrow ditches than any of the narrow buckets patterned after the usual bucket form.

In using any of the aforementioned buckets, the operator must pass the bucket through the soil and, after the bucket is full, swing the backhoe boom and the bucket to one side of the ditch. He then dumps the soil from the bucket and swings the bucket and boom back into alignment with the ditch. It can be appreciated that a ditching tool arranged to dig and move the dirt from the ditch without requiring movement of the boom away from the line of the ditch will save time and money in performing a ditching operation.

This invention provides a ditching tool useful in connection with a backhoe. A ditching tool constructed in accordance with the invention includes a narrow blade for digging the trench or ditch, a relatively wide backplate mounted on the blade to keep the soil removed from the ditch pushed away from the edges thereof, and a pair of spaced flanges secured to the backplate and arranged to be pivotally connected with the backhoe, whereby the ditching tool can be manipulated to dig the ditch.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved ditching tool that can be used to effectively and efliciently dig a narrow ditch.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved ditching tool that is self-cleaning and does not require movement away from the line of the ditch to deposit soil removed therefrom along the sides of the ditch.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved ditching tool that can be effectively used to dig narrow ditches in wet or clayey soil.

One other object of the invention is to provide an improved ditching tool that requires little maintenance and has a long service life.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved ditching tool that can be easily and economically manufactured.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the following description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters denote like parts in all views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a backhoe having a ditching tool, constructed in accordance with the invention, mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged pictorial view of the ditching tool illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged pictorial view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the opposite side of the ditching tool; and

FIG. 4 is a view showing a portion of the backhoe and the ditching tool during the digging of a narrow ditch, which is shown in cross-section.

Referring to the drawings, and to FIG. 1 in particular, shown therein and generally indicated bythe reference character 10 is a backhoe having a ditching tool 12 attached thereto. The backhoe 10 includes a self-propelled tractor 14 which has an articulated boom 16 attached thereto by a pivot 18. While not shown in the drawing, it should be understood that the tractor 14 is also coupled with the articulated boom 16 in such a manner that the boom 16 can be moved in a lateral direction with respect to the axis of the tractor 14. The articulated boom 16 includes a front boom member 20 which has one end attached to the tractor 14 by the pivot 18 and has the other end attached to a rear boom member 22 by a pivot 24. A hydraulic cylinder 26 has a piston 27, which is movable therein, operably connected at one end with the front boom member 20. The cylinder 26 is pivotally connected with the tractor 14 so that the front boom member 21) can be rotated in the vertical plane about the pivot 18. A ihydraulic cylinder 23 has one end connected with the front boom member and has its piston 29 pivotally connected with the upper end of the rear boom member 22 by a pivot 30. The arrangement of the cylinder 23 is such that actuation thereof will cause rotational movement of the rear boom member 22 about the pivot 24 in a vertical plane. The lower end of the rear boom member 22 is connected by a pivot 32 with the ditching tool 12.

A hydraulic cylinder 34 is pivotally mounted on the rear boom member 22 by a pivot 36 and has its piston connected to a rotatable linkage 37 by a pivot 38. The rotatable linkage 37 includes a member 39 which has one end connected to the pivot 38 and the other end pivotally mounted on the rear boom member 22, and a member 41) which has one end connected to the pivot 38 and the other end connected to the ditching tool 12 by a pivot 41. The arrangement of the cylinder. 34, linkage 37, and ditching tool 12 is such that movement of the piston 35 causes member 39 of the linkage 37 to rotate on the rear boom member 22. The member 40 is moved by the movement of the piston 35 in a plane of rotation determined by the length of the member 39 and carries therewith the ditching tool 12. As previously mentioned, the ditching tool a 12 is pivotally mounted on the lower end of the rear boom member 22 so that its movement is limited to rotation about the pivot 32.

Fluid under pressure is delivered to the cylinders 26, 28 and 34 through a series of conduits (not shown). A plurality of control valves, indicated by the reference character 42, are mounted on the tractor 14 and are operably disposed in the conduits (not shown) through Which fluid is supplied to the hydraulic cylinders.

The ditching tool 12 is shown in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3. As shown therein, the ditching tool 12 includes an elongated blade member 44 which, in the preferred form, has its lower, digging end 46 slightly curved as illustrated. A planar backplate 48 is secured to one surface of the blade member 44 and on the upper portion thereof. The planar backplate 48 may be more clearly seen in FIG. 3, and is provided with beveled surfaces 50 on the lower end thereof for purposes which will be described more fully hereinafter.

A pair of spaced flange members 52 are secured to the backplate 48 and disposed on either side of the upper portion of the elongated blade member 44. An upper portion 54 of the flange members 52 extends upwardly past the top edge of the backplate 48 and projects forv wardly past the front surface of the backplate 48. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the medial portion 56 of each of the flange members 52 is convergent from the upper portion 54 to a lower portion 58. The lower portion 58 of the flange members 52 extends downwardly from the medial portion 56 in a generally parallel relationship along either side of the blade 44. It should be pointed out that the exact configuration of the flange members 52, i.e., the spacing between the flange members 52 will be determined by the arrangement of the backhoe 10 to which the ditching tool 12 is to be attached. The flange members 52 are provided in the upper end portion 54 with a pair of aligned holes 60 which are utilized in pivotally attaching the ditching tool 12 to the pivot 32 in the lower end of the rear boom member 22. A second pair of aligned holes 62 are provided in the lower portion 58 of the flange members 52 that are arranged to be pivotally attached to the pivot 41 connecting the ditching tool 12 to the member 40 of the linkage 37 which joins the ditching tool 12 with the piston 35 of the cylinder 34. The exact spacing and size of the holes 60 and 62 will be determined by the particular configuration of the backhoe 10.

A cylindrical stop member 64 extends between the upper portions 54 of the flange members 52 and along the top edge of the backplate 48. The top member 64 is secured to the flange members 52 and the backplate 48 by any suitable means, such as by welding. A reinforcing member 66, which may be more clearly seen in FIG. 2,

extends between the lower portions 53 of the flange members 52 and is secured thereto and to the surface of the blade 44 opposite the backplate 48.

An elongated reinforcing member 68 is also attached to the surface of the blade 44 opposite the backplate 48. The elongated reinforcing member 63 extends substantially the entire length of the blade 44, passing through the reinforcing member 66. In the preferred form of the ditching tool 12, the reinforcing member 63 and the blade 44 combine to have a generally T -shaped cross-section, with the blade 44 forming the top of the T and the reinforcing member 68 forming the leg of the T. The reinforcing member 68 has its lower end 70 terminating short of the lower end 46 of the blade 44 to provide for clearance as the blade 44 is used in digging. It should be understood that the blade 44 and the reinforcing member 68 could be integrally formed by casting or forging if desired.

When digging a ditch with the backhoe 10, the normal procedure is to position the tractor 14 generally along the axis of the ditch, as shown in FIG. 4.

Referring briefly to FIG. 1, the backhoe 10 is illustrated therein in the position that the boom 16 and the ditching tool 12 may be placed upon initiating a digging stroke of the backhoe 10. Prior to making the first contact with the soil, the ditching tool 12 is manipulated to a position wherein the lower end 46 of the blade 44 is in the best position to penetrate the soil. The ditching tool 12 is moved into this position by actuation of the appropriate valve 42 which will either retract or extend the piston 35 of the cylinder 34, causing the ditching tool 12 to be rotated about the pivot 32. When the blade 44 of the ditching tool 12 is set at the proper position for penetrating the soil, the cylinder 26 is actuated to move the front boom member 20 downwardly, thereby driving the ditching tool 12 into the soil. Simultaneously, the piston 29 of the cylinder 28 is extended to rotate the rear boom member 22 about the pivot 24, causing the ditching tool 12 to move through the soil toward the tractor 14. The rear boom member 22 rotates in a vertical plane about the pivot 24, causing the ditching tool 12 to move upwardly and toward the tractor 14, simultaneously, lifting the dirt from a ditch 72 (see FIG. 4) and depositing it into piles on either side of the ditch 72. The various valves 42 may be actuated sequentially or simultaneously to cause the hydraulic cylinders 26, 28 and 34 to impart the desired digging motion to the ditching tool 12.

The curvature provided on the lower end 46 of the blade 44 has a tendency, as the blade 44 is passed through the soil, to cause loosened soil to be rolled along the blade 44 toward the backplate 48. As the blade 44 clears the ditch 72 on the forward stroke, the dirt will be carried therewith to the surface of the soil. The loose or broken soil piled on either side of the ditch 72 will be pushed away from the ditch 72 upon engagement with the backplate 43. If the ditch is to be extended past the length of the blade 44 extending below the backplate 48, it can be seen in FIG. 4 that the beveled surfaces 50 on the lower end of the backplate 48 will engage the soil on either side of the top edges of the ditch 72 to slightly widen the ditch to prevent the walls thereof from caving and, at the same time, to keep the loose dirt pushed away from the ditch. Due to the configuration of the blade 44, the sides of the ditch 72 perform as side walls for the ditching tool 12.

One important advantage attained by the use of a ditching tool constructed as described herein is that the ditch 72 can be dug to the depth desired and will be completely cleaned out at the same time that the digging takes place, without the necessity of swinging the atriculated boom 16 away from the axis or line of the ditch 72. It should be emphasized that the ditching tool 12 can be effectively used in damp or clayey soils without having the soil stick to the blade 44. It is believed that the blade 44 is self-cleaning due, at least partially, to the curvature provided therein which causes the dirt being dug to move upwardly along the blade 44, pushing whatever soil may have a tendency to stick thereto upwardly toward the top of the ditch 72. Another factor contributing to the selfcleaning of the ditching tool 12 is that the blade 44 has no side walls as does the usual form of digging bucket. Due to this self-cleaning action, it can be appreciated that the backhoe can be used much more efliciently and with less lost time in any type of soil wherein a ditch is to be dug.

The self-cleaning feature of the ditching tool and its advantage of cleaning the ditch without swinging the boom enables the backhoe to operate in very narrow avenues. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the dirt removed from the ditch is deposited on either side of the ditch and does not extend past the Width of the tractor; therefore, the backhoe equipped with the ditching tool of this invention can be operated in a space suflicient to accommodate the width of the tractor alone.

One other benefit gained by the use of the ditching tool 12 is that the very minimum of dirt is removed from the ditch, and consequently there is less dirt which must 'be pushed back into the ditch when it is to be filled. As previously mentioned, the narrow ditches dug by the ditching tool 12 can be extended across streets and then filled simply by shoveling the small amount of dirt removed back into the ditch. Due to the narrow width of the ditch, no tamping is required since the very slight settling which may take place will not affect the concrete or asphalt paving which is subsequently laid thereover. Furthermore, narrow ditches dug by the ditching tool 12 may also be backfilled without tamping and will not settle and cause large, unsightly low places in yards.

Due to the simplicity of construction of the ditching tool 12, it can be seen that the ditching tool 12 can be easily and economically manufactured. Also, the flange members 52 may be arranged on the ditching tool 12 to easily and quickly adapt the ditching tool to fit the various sizes and brands of backhoes presently in use.

It should be pointed out that the embodiment described herein is by way of example only and that many changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. A ditching tool for utilization with a backhoe of the type having an articulated boom and a bucket cylinder on the boom, said ditching tool comprising:

an elongated blade member;

a reinforcing rib member extending along one surface of said blade member for substantially the length of said blade member;

a relatively wide backplate member secured on one end portion of said blade member, and disposed on the surface thereof opposite said rib member;

a pair of spaced flange members secured to said backplate member and disposed on either side of said blade member;

first pivot means on said flange members for pivotally interconnecting said flange members with the boom of a backhoe; and

second pivot means spaced from said first pivot means for pivotally interconnecting said flange members with a hydraulic cylinder carried by said backhoe.

2. A ditching tool for use on a backhoe having an articulated boom and a bucket cylinder on the 'boom, said ditching tool comprising:

a relatively narrow elongated blade;

a reinforcing rib extending along one surface of said blade for substantially the length of said blade;

a relatively wide backplate secured to the surface of said blade opposite said rib;

a pair of spaced flange members secured to said backplate and disposed on opposite sides of said blade;

a reinforcing member extending between one end portion of said flange members and secured to said blade, rib, flange members and backplate;

first pivot means for pivotally interconnecting said flange members with the boom of a backhoe; and

second pivot means spaced from said first pivot means for pivotally interconnecting said flange members and the bucket actuating hydraulic cylinder of a backhoe.

3. A ditching tool comprising:

an elongated blade member;

elongated reinforcing means extending along one surface of said blade member for a major portion of the length of said blade member;

a backplate having a width greater than said blade member secured on one end portion of said blade member and projecting from opposite sides of said blade member, said backplate being disposed on the surface of said blade member opposite said elongated reinforcing means; and

a pair of spaced flange members secured to said backplate, said flange members having:

a first pair of aligned apertures extending therethrough, and

a second pair of aligned apertures extending therethrough and spaced from said first pair of aligned apertures.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said flange members have a portion extending past the end of said backplate member and blade member and projecting past the surface of said backplate member opposite the surface thereof secured to said blade member; and,

wherein said ditching tool also includes a stop member extending between the said portions of the flange members and secured to said flange members and said backplate member, whereby said stop mem her is arranged to engage said boom upon actuation of said boom cylinder to limit the pivotal movement of said ditching tool relative to said boom.

5. A ditching tool comprising:

an elongated blade member;

a reinforcing rib member extending along one surface of said blade member for substantially the length of said blade member;

a relatively wide backplate member secured on one end portion of said blade member, and disposed on the surface thereof opposite said rib member; and,

a pair of spaced flange members secured to said backplate member and disposed on either side of said blade member, said flange members having:

a first pair of aligned apertures extending therethrough, and

a second pair of aligned apertures extending therethrough and spaced from said first pair of aligned apertures.

6. A ditching tool comprising:

a relatively narrow elongated blade;

a reinforcing rib extending along one surface of said blade for substantially the length of said blade;

a relatively wide backplate secured to the surface of said blade opposite said rib;

a pair of spaced flange members secured to said backplate and disposed on either side of said blade, said flange members having:

a first pair of aligned apertures extending therethrough, and

a second pair of aligned apertures extending therethrough and spaced from said first pair of aligned apertures; and,

a reinforcing member extending between one end portion of said flange members and secured to said blade, rib, flange members and backplate.

7 8 7. The ditching tool of claim 6 wherein said flange References Cited by the Examiner members have a portion extending past the endbf said UNITED STATES PATENTS backplate member and blade member and pro ecting past the surface of said backplate member opposite the sur- 2,860,426 11/1958 Allin et a1 face thereof secured to said blade member; and, 5 2,895,236 7/1959 P l h 37 2 wherein said ditching tool also includes a stop mem- 3,032,900 5/ 1962 Kashfifgen 1 her extending between the said portions of the flange 3,120,281 2/1964 Peveler et ai." 172 699 members and secured to said flange members and 1 said backplate member- ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner.

8. The ditching tool of claim 7 wherein said blade has 10 T, an end portion remote from said backplate curved rela- O CA Ass s ant Examinertively toward said back-plate. 

3. A DITCHING TOOL COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED BLADE MEMBER; ELONGATED REINFORCING MEANS EXTENDING ALONG ONE SURFACE OF SAID BLADE MEMBER FOR A MAJOR PORTION OF THE LENGTH OF SAID BLADE MEMBER; A BACKPLATE HAVING A WIDTH GREATER THAN SAID BLADE MEMBER SECURED ON ONE END PORTION OF SAID BLADE MEMBER AND PROJECTING FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID BLADE MEMBER, SAID BACKPLATE BEING DISPOSED ON THE SURFACE OF SAID BLADE MEMBER OPPOSITE SAID ELONGATED REINFORCING MEANS; AND A PAIR OF SPACED FLANGE MEMBERS SECURED TO SAID BACKPLATE, SAID FLANGE MEMBERS HAVING: A FIRST PAIR OF ALIGNED APERTURES EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, AND A SECOND PAIR OF ALIGNED APERTURES EXTENDING THERETHROUGH AND SPACED FROM SAID FIRST PAIR OF ALIGNED APERTURES. 